Although it is well established that college entrance exams have become a key factor for admission to selective institutions, less is known about the influence of test scores in relation to other academic factors in the evaluation of a student's application file. This study conducts a randomized-controlled trial to determine whether providing…

The purpose of this research is to reveal and compare the language proficiency profiles of Purdue's Chinese and Indian graduate applicants in various disciplines to take a step towards the development of Language Proficiency Literacy (LPL) of graduate admissions decision makers. The study argues that before being able to offer LPL development…

Do students respond to sticker prices or actual prices when applying to college? These costs differ for students eligible for financial aid. Students who do not understand this may not apply to some colleges because of the perceived high cost. We test for this form of "sticker shock" using College Board data on SAT scores sent, as a…

Although it is well established that college entrance exams have become a key factor for admission to selective institutions, less is known about the influence of test scores in relation to other academic factors in the evaluation of a student's application file. This study conducts a randomized-controlled trial to determine whether providing…

In Oman, applicants are selected for initial teacher education programs (ITEPs) based mainly on their academic achievements. Applicants' non-cognitive attributes (NCAs) (e.g., resilience and motivation) receive less attention. Situational judgment tests (SJTs) are a type of simulation test that are used in the candidate selection process for…

The official stance of the Association America of Medical Colleges (AAMC) regarding the undergraduate major of applicants for admission to medical school is that there are no required or preferred majors. While the AAMC is the body that governs admission to allopathic medical schools in the United States, this statement does not provide clarity to…

This review of the literature covers 5 major areas within the graduate admissions process: (a) the decentralized nature of graduate admissions; (b) the types of materials that are collected as part of the application process, including standardized test scores; (c) the variety of admissions models that are used to make admissions decisions; (d)…

The assessment of noncognitive traits is challenging due to possible response biases, "subjectivity" and "faking." Standardized third-party evaluations where an external evaluator rates an applicant on their strengths and weaknesses on various noncognitive traits are a promising alternative. However, accurate score-based…

Graduate admissions play a critical gatekeeping role in the physics community not only because they select students who are allowed to begin their graduate studies, but also because they influence how students perceive graduate school, and in some cases whether or not they will even choose to apply. In conjunction with the APS Bridge Program, we…

There are increasing numbers of non-native English speaking applicants to Canadian universities (AUCC 2008a, 2010), which are committed to promoting linguistic and cultural diversity (AUCC 2008b). One result of this trend is that university admissions officers, as gatekeepers, are faced with a growing and potentially confusing array of language…

For its 16th annual Application Trends Survey, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) gathered and analyzed data from a total of 641 graduate business programs located at 306 universities worldwide to understand application volume, the applicant pool, and special efforts being made to attract candidates to graduate management programs.…

Many colleges and universities receive thousands of applications for freshman admission every year. To facilitate the process of evaluating each and every applicant in a relatively short amount of time, schools often devise quantitative ratings scales to summarize student characteristics. The ratings give readers a shorthand way to communicate the…

Using data on applicants to three selective colleges and an optimal search model, the impact of admission policies on applicants' retaking the Scholastic Assessment Test was assessed. The most common score-ranking policy encourages retakes, disadvantaging those with high test-taking costs, pessimistic self-beliefs, or low impressions of the value…

A survey was conducted of a sample of 716 well-qualified students who sent their American College Testing Program (ACT) scores to the University of Michigan but subsequently did not apply for admission. Telephone interviews resulted in 574 completed interviews, for an 80% response rate. The interview instrument elicited information regarding the…

This study was designed to analyze the relationship of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores to applicants' choices of institutions, their admission, and their enrollment. Applicants from four fields were followed up the year after they had taken the GRE tests. Information was obtained about the departments to which the test takers applied and…